'We Need To Train Our Pitbulls and Rottweilers, Not Ban Them'

Dev Vohra with his pet Noor.

(Image courtesy: Vibhushita Singh/The Quint)

Producer: Varsha Rani
Video Editor: Pawan Kumar

Noor, my five-year-old Pitbull came into our lives in 2017. As everyone says, Pitbulls are very ferocious, but it's not true for our dog. She is so attached to all of us. She’s friendly with all the family members.

A picture of Noor when she was a puppy.

(Image courtesy: Dev Vohra)

Noor is now five years old.

(Image courtesy: Dev Vohra)

Noor and Dev.

(Image courtesy: Dev Vohra)

But our friendly Pitbull is now one of the most feared and banned breeds in my city, Kanpur, along with American bully and Rottweilers.

On 27 September, Kanpur Municipal Corporation came up with an order to ban these breeds within the city limits amid the rising attacks. As pet owners, we are asked to sign an affidavit that if the dog bites someone we are supposed to pay for their treatment.

I wish to say that this is very unfair, because now it feels like, they can fine us anytime with Rs 5,000 and confiscate our dogs too. It’s been five years and there are other families too that have pets and are very attached to them.

Focus On Training Dogs Rather Than Banning Them

When this order came, my friends and I, all of us, who have Rottweilers or Pitbulls were in panic. We were unable to understand what we will do now. But then, the Kanpur mayor ordered that we can have our old pets, we need to get them registered and get a license. I got a license for Noor as soon as I heard this news.

But what about the puppies in the city, the breeders also have these puppies. What about them? How are they supposed to get a license?

Obviously, the owners are responsible for the behaviour of their dogs. But the focus should be on training on how to keep these dogs rather than doing injustice to these breeds.

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